Overview

• The U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing whether taxpayer funds can support St. Isidore Catholic Virtual School, the nation's first proposed religious charter school.
• Proponents argue that excluding the school violates the Free Exercise Clause, while opponents cite the Establishment Clause and state laws requiring charter schools to be nonsectarian.
• Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond opposes public funding for the school, clashing with Governor Kevin Stitt and Superintendent Ryan Walters, who support it.
• The case builds on recent Supreme Court rulings that states cannot exclude religious institutions from public benefit programs, with significant national implications for education policy.
• Justice Amy Coney Barrett has recused herself, leaving eight justices to decide the case, with a ruling expected by early summer 2025.